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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23920444">not his father</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballerinaroy/pseuds/ballerinaroy'>ballerinaroy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>nineteen years later seems pretty far away [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gen, Harry Potter Next Generation, Kidnapping, Mystery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:41:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,841</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23920444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballerinaroy/pseuds/ballerinaroy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All his life Albus had been lectured about not going off alone. And he wasn’t stupid. He knew he father was famous, noticed the attention his family received whenever they were out together. But he wasn’t a child anymore and had more than resented the lecture he got before his mother had signed his permission form to Hogsmeade.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>nineteen years later seems pretty far away [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1263350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I’m thirteen, I’m in the dueling club, I know how to defend myself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Informed by my singular reading of Cursed Child, but not compliant. Any plot points I adopt from said play are purely unintentional.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">All his life Albus had been lectured about not going off alone. And he wasn’t stupid. He knew he father was famous, noticed the attention his family received whenever they were out together. But he wasn’t a child anymore and had more than resented the lecture he got before his mother had signed his permission form to Hogsmeade.</p><p class="p1">“You stay on High Street,” his mother had warned him as he stood at her desk. “No wandering off alone.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, mum,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Albus Severus,” she said sternly and he knew she was cross because she almost always avoided using his middle name. “This is serious.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m not a kid anymore,” he wined. “I’m thirteen, I’m in the dueling club, I know how to defend myself.”</p><p class="p1">His mother paled. “Al-“</p><p class="p1">“When dad was thirteen he warded off a whole army of dementors,” Albus argued. “It’s not like I’m going to be facing that.”</p><p class="p1">“That’s not the point-“</p><p class="p1">“Then what is it?” he asked.</p><p class="p1">“You are not your father,” she said sternly. “And if you can’t take this seriously.”</p><p class="p1">She didn’t need to finish her threat. He could still remember the punishment that James had endured when he’d been caught sneaking into the prefect’s bathroom with his ‘friend’.</p><p class="p1">“I am,” he said hurriedly. “I am mum, promise.”</p><p class="p1">She continued to stare at him firmly.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll stay on High Street, won’t talk to any strangers.” He assured her. “Won’t go wandering off on my own and be back in the castle before dark.”</p><p class="p1">And that had been his plan, really. He and Scorpius had set out together from the castle with pockets full of spending money which was depleted by noon and spent the afternoon strolling up and down the street eating the candy they’d acquired and planning the exact best use for the canary creams his godfather had sold them.</p><p class="p1">But then of course, they’d stumbled upon Rose with her Gryffindor friends and after several painful minutes of Scorpius trying to get her attention and her finally insulting him, the day was suddenly a lot less more fun.</p><p class="p1">“We could go to the three broomsticks,” Albus said, trying to cheer his friend up.</p><p class="p1">“We don’t have any money,” Scorpius pointed out grumpily.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, but we could still go and sit there.”</p><p class="p1">Scorpius kicked a rock in his path, sending it flying off the road and into the trees.</p><p class="p1">“Or to the Hogshead,” he said, “I bet Abe would-“</p><p class="p1">“He wouldn’t, just because he likes you doesn’t mean he’s fond of me. He hates my dad.”</p><p class="p1">The one hard thing about being friends with Scorpius (aside from his newfound infatuation with Albus’ cousin) was that their parents disagreed on almost everything. It was impossible to do anything without one of them disproving. If it wasn’t for his knowledge that their fathers famously not getting along, he would have thought that they had conspired together to make sure one of them was always in trouble.</p><p class="p1">“Let’s go to the Shrieking Shack,” Scorpius said suddenly. “It’s supposed to be really haunted.”</p><p class="p1">“My dad said that it wasn’t, that it was just Teddy’s dad in there,” Albus said and Scorpius rolled his eyes. “Besides, it’s just a shack, what’s the fun in staring at it from far away?”</p><p class="p1">“We don’t have to be far away,” he answered, a familiar dangerous glint in his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“My parents said I wasn’t supposed to go off the street,” Albus said.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, and my parents said I wasn’t supposed to become friends with you,” Scorpius replied, the overused line that either of them used whenever the other wasn’t cooperating. “Oh, come on, it’s not far. We’ll be there and back and no one will ever be the wiser.”</p><p class="p1">Albus looked around, but for once he didn’t find one of his cousins or James looking over his shoulder. He grinned at his friend and nodded. “Race you there?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">It had been tricky, getting off the path and into the forest without being seen, but once they’d managed to shake the eyes of their fellow students, the journey along the edge of the tree line had passed in no time. Up close there was something rather ominous about the old building. Boards covering every window, making it impossible to peek inside.</p><p class="p1">“Didn’t Teddy tell you about a passage under here to the school?” Scorpius asked, peeking through the damaged glass. “If we figured out a way to use it we could sneak out.”</p><p class="p1">“And what would we do?” Albus asked, glancing over his shoulder. “It’s not like we have any money.”</p><p class="p1">Was he just imaging it? Or had a cloak just whipped behind a tree?</p><p class="p1">Scorpius shrugged, putting all his weight on a board that remained stubbornly in place.</p><p class="p1">“We should be getting back,” Albus said, reaching into his pocket for his wand.</p><p class="p1">“Oh, come-on we just got here,” Scorpius pointed out, still trying to pry off a board that had been stuck over one of the windows. “Help me with this.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s probably on there with a sticking charm,” Albus said, pocketing his wand and going over to help anyway. “We’re not going to be able to get it off without knowing the counter curse.”</p><p class="p1">“Where’s Rose when you need her?” Scorpius said wishfully, giving another tug and then giving up, massaging his fingers.</p><p class="p1">“You’re the only person in this world who thinks we need her,” Albus replied with a snort. He looked around again. “Come on, we really should go back.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re no fun,” Scorpius said, ignoring him and walking towards the other side of the house. “What’s the point in having come all the way here if we don’t go inside?”</p><p class="p1">“Someone’s bound to spot us if we hand around here for too long,” Albus said. “We could go back and figure out how to undo sticking charms and come back next time.”</p><p class="p1">“By then it’ll be snowing and they’ll see our tracks if we try to come all this way,” Scorpius pointed out. He turned to look at him. “You’re a Slytherin you know, you need to be more-“</p><p class="p1">He broke off suddenly, staring at something just over Albus’ shoulder but before Albus could even turn his head he felt something hit him squarely in the back and everything went dark.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Albus awoke, freezing and to a darkened sky. His head ached, pounding with every beat of his heart and his backside was damp from spending so long on the bare ground. The forest, which had been spooky enough, was downright frightening without the afternoon sun and he reached for his wand, relived to find it still in his pocket.</p><p class="p1">“Scorpius?” he asked, trying to keep his voice from trembling. “Hello?”</p><p class="p1">There was no answer and gingerly Albus got to his feet, trying to figure out what had happened.</p><p class="p1">“Scorpius!” he called out but only the echo of his own voice answered him.</p><p class="p1">His mother was going to kill him. There was no doubt that curfew had already passed which meant the gates would be locked and he hadn’t learned how to make his patronus talk yet. Instead, he headed towards the village, thinking hard.</p><p class="p1">All he had to do was figure out a way back to the school and pray that no one had noticed he was missing. Then he could claim he was hiding out in the dorms, Scorpius would help him. Cheered by the thought of seeing his friend again, even if he’d left him in the middle of the woods, Albus hurried up towards High Street and away from the castle.</p><p class="p1">But as he got closer he saw another hindrance from him sneaking back into school unnoticed. Aurors, all dressed in their official red cloaks, were walking up and down the street, wands raised. Albus slid back against the wall of the shop, trying not to be seen. The last thing he needed was to be caught by one of his dad’s employees. He’d never hear the end of it.</p><p class="p1">High Street was positively crawling with Aurors, dressed in their official red robes and there was no doubt they were looking for him. Lit wands swept the ground as they patrolled in pairs wearing hard expressions.</p><p class="p1">“Bloody hell.” He muttered, noticing a pair just in time to flatten himself against the side of a shop.</p><p class="p1">If they were to find him he’d never see Hogsmeade again, let alone the broom his parents had promised him for good marks. And without a new broom, he could kiss goodbye his dreams of making the Slytherin team next year. The hand-me-down Comment Melinium he’d brought with him this year was nothing compared to what the team rode on.</p><p class="p1">Head pounding as hard as ever he thought fast to formulate a plan.</p><p class="p1">Uncle Ron was bound to have closed shop by now and he couldn’t think of a way to get a message to his mother.</p><p class="p1">If only there was a way to sneak into the castle, he could pretend he’d just been having a nap and the whole thing would be a funny joke to look back on. The passage at the Shrieking Shack had been a bust but there was one he knew could always be opened and was guarded by the least suspicious person Albus had ever met.</p><p class="p1">Heart lightened he hurried along, running along alleyways and hiding behind bins to evade the patrolling Aurors until at last he reached the grubby looking pub that looked even more suspicious in the night.</p><p class="p1">Breathlessly he followed on the heels of a rather unfortunate looking wizard into the bar and kept his head down, not really wanted to be recognized here. The darkened room, full of an unsavory cast of characters paid no attention to him as he went straight to the bar and to where Abe was standing, staring straight at him.</p><p class="p1">Albus hung his head as he approached, still hopeful that he wouldn’t be turned in, “I guess you heard then.”</p><p class="p1">Abe said nothing, staring still unblinkingly.</p><p class="p1">He climbed up onto a barstool to talk to him. “Abe, I’m really sorry. I don’t know what happened but you have to help me before my parents find out and I’m never allowed back here again.”</p><p class="p1">But even to his groveling, there was no reply. In fact, Abe turned away to the man Al had snuck in behind. “Please I-!“</p><p class="p1">The door opened and Abe looked up again as the bar quieted. Albus turned worriedly and to his utter surprise caught sight of his Aunt and Uncle as they rushed into the room. They looked terrified causing Albus to wince, abandoning hope he’d escape this mess without punishment.</p><p class="p1">“Ron!” Albus cried, nevertheless relieved that if he were about to be caught it would be by his favorite Uncle. “I’m really sorry, I-“</p><p class="p1">But, just as Abe’s eyes had passed over him, so did his Aunt and Uncle’s. They stood on either side of his barstool and Abe went straight to them, abandoning the drink order he’d been taking from a cloaked man at the end of the bar.</p><p class="p1">“Any sign?” Hermione asked worried and Abe shook his head.</p><p class="p1">“Nothing,” he answered. “Everything here’s been quiet all night, not even a whisper.”</p><p class="p1">Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks.</p><p class="p1">“What’s going on?” Albus demanded.</p><p class="p1">“If you hear anything,” Ron said in a strange, chocked voice Albus had never heard before.</p><p class="p1">“I’ll stun ‘em and bring them straight to you,” Abe assured him, trying to smile but it looked odd on his face.</p><p class="p1">Ron and Hermione gave their thanks and hurried back out the way they’d came, grasping hand.</p><p class="p1">Albus hurried after them. “Aunt Hermione! Ron!”</p><p class="p1">They paid him no mind, Ron lit his wand and held it high, lighting their path back up the street, a journey they completed in silence with Albus at their heals.</p><p class="p1">Now Albus could see the cobblestone street was crowded with Aurors, their wands all held high as the combed the ground for something. He had to jog to keep up with his Aunt and Uncle as they marched up the street and towards the Weasley Wizarding Wheezy’s shop, normally only open on Hogsmeade weekends. He was surprised to find the storefront lit up and the inside was bustling with people, among them Albus’ mother, sitting at a table and looking just as worried.</p><p class="p1">“Mum!” Albus cried, rushing in before his aunt and uncle. “I’m really sorry, I-“</p><p class="p1">“Anything?” his mother asked anxiously, not looking at him.</p><p class="p1">“He’s keeping an eye out,” Ron told her as they hurried over.</p><p class="p1">“God,” his mum said in a trembling voice, and Albus watched his uncle wrap an arm around her.</p><p class="p1">“They’ve got the whole place shut down,” Aunt Hermione was saying now. “If they’re still here-“</p><p class="p1">“But they won’t be,” his mother wailed. “Whoever it was had at least an hour to get him out of the village. Why would have hung around? He could be anywhere.”</p><p class="p1">Albus had only ever once before seen his mother cry. It’d been the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts and as his father gave a speech he’d looked over to find his mother silently wiping tears from her cheeks. He’d only been five and when he’d asked her what was wrong, she’d merely pulled him into her lap and hugged him tightly as she sobbed. Seeing her now-</p><p class="p1">“Mum,” he said in a chocked voice, stepping close and tugging on her cloak. “Mum, what’s going on?”</p><p class="p1">But he knew the answer. Had known. It wasn’t an accident that every eye kept drifting over him. He knew that no matter how angry his family might have been at him wandering off, how much trouble he might face, they’d never ignore him.</p><p class="p1">“Mum.” He begged again, feeling like a child trying to get her attention. “Mum.”</p><p class="p1">His throat was starting to ache and his cheeks felt heavy. “Mum, please. I’m sorry.”</p><p class="p1">Albus wrapped his arms around his mother, holding onto her tightly as he sobbed into her abdomen. At that moment he’d give anything in the world for her arms to wrap around him, for her hand to tenderly lift his hair from his forehead like she always did when he was upset for her to tell him that everything was going to be alright.</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry,” he blubbered, trying to wipe away his tears though no one could see him. “I’m sorry mum, I should have listened.”</p><p class="p1">He couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid. All his life he’d been warned and he’d been so foolish, so cocky that when his mother had warned him he’d said he was in the <em>dueling club</em>. He hadn’t even had time to draw his wand.</p><p class="p1">“Mum, please.” He continued to sob. “Please, I’m sorry.”</p><p class="p1">Albus’ mum went without noticing him, turning away as if he wasn’t even there. He stared back down at his own hands, trying again to determine what had gone wrong.</p><p class="p1">Was he dead? He looked solid enough, but would a ghost even recognize that they’d turned pearly and see-through? And if he was a ghost, wouldn’t they be able to hear him? Wouldn’t they shudder when he passed through them?</p><p class="p1"> Although he was surrounded by the people who loved him he was completely and utterly alone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the never ending nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">The realization kept hitting him in waves. Forgetting he couldn’t be seen, shouting out when his name was called, jumping when a door opened only for eyes to pass right over him and the sinking sensation overtook him again. He sat alone, without comfort, watching as the adults (just as jumpy as he) worked diligently to find what was sitting right under their noses.</p><p class="p1">Despondent, Albus trailed hopelessly around after his mother, waiting for something, <em>anything</em> to happen.</p><p class="p1">
  <em>Wake up, wake up, wake—</em>
</p><p class="p1">“Anything?” his father’s voice boomed.</p><p class="p1">The room fell silent as every head turned towards Albus’ father, taking up an entire doorway and looking unlike himself. A beat of terrified silence and suddenly everyone was speaking at once, Aurors all clamoring to get their update in first. But he ignored them all, looking straight at Albus with a fragile expression.</p><p class="p1">For a moment Albus thought himself saved. Of course, it would be dad. His father was the greatest wizard known, famous. If there was anyone who could figure this out it was—</p><p class="p1">“No,” came his mum’s trembling voice and Albus looked up as a fresh wave of despair washed over him.</p><p class="p1">Albus watched as the kindness disappeared from his father’s expression and he, at last, addressed all those who had been trying to answer his demand. He looked up at his mum, hand over her heart as she turned away from the noise looking dangerously close to a new wave of tears.</p><p class="p1">It was like a switch had flipped in his father. The kind, if sometimes stern, voice Al had always known was absent. Replaced by something commanding, frightening. And he wasn’t the only one Albus didn’t recognize.</p><p class="p1">All his life his mother had been a sports reporter, his uncle a joke shop owner, his aunt—well, he wasn’t entirely sure what his aunt did but he knew it something to do with the ministry—but they seemed completely comfortable in the make-shift war zone.</p><p class="p1">Sending owls, answering floo calls, tacking up notes to a large map of Hogsmeade and London. All the while Albus, the very subject of their frantic search, sat in the middle of it, trying desperately to communicate.</p><p class="p1">“All quiet on the floo network,” Ron announced after stumbling back through the grate, Hermione with her own update. “They’re verifying but the only portkey from the last hour was a book collector from Seol.”</p><p class="p1">Only his mother seemed immune to his father’s raging. The only voice who could inspire gentleness in his hard expression, his barking voice.Even Ron and Hermione, working as diligently as anyone were on the receiving end of the short temper.</p><p class="p1">“Tell them that anything that goes in our out comes through me first.” His father said heatedly.</p><p class="p1">“We’ve got Aurors stationed there.” Ron reminded him, unfazed by the rudeness.</p><p class="p1">Albus had the strange notion that he was getting a glimpse into the past. He wasn’t so sure he liked what he saw.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Exhaustion began to pound at his temples as the hours wore on with no change in his strange status. He’d tried everything to get their attention. Pounding on walls, the floor, shooting sparks with his wand, shouting every curse word his cousins had taught him (usually his mother was able to hear him from floors away), but it did nothing to alert the people searching so desperately for him to his presence.</p><p class="p1">He’d discovered the limitations of his abilities quickly enough. People could not hear him, see him. He could interact with the world to an extent but not enough to do things like open doors (a discovery that had been most inopportune as he’d had to wait by the door to the loo for a good half an hour and then wait another fifteen minutes for someone to let him out). But mostly he was stuck, waiting for something to change.</p><p class="p1">“Anything?” mum asked as dad came back in the room looking worn.</p><p class="p1">Dad shook his head, sinking into a chair beside her and looking weary.</p><p class="p1">“We’ll find him,” Aunt Hermione said assuredly. “We’ll figure this out.”</p><p class="p1">But her voice betrayed her uncertainty and Albus felt the weight of the implication.</p><p class="p1">“You need to eat something,” Ron said firmly, and without asking he rose from the table, taking his wife with him. “I’ll make tea.”</p><p class="p1">At the suggestion, Albus’ stomach began to grumble. He’d missed dinner and his lunch had been candy, the stale sweetness still at the back of his tongue. But rather than be disappointed by his inability to nourish himself, he remained with his parents, his mother staring at his father intently, his father glaring at the far wall.</p><p class="p1">“Harry?” mum said in a questioning voice.</p><p class="p1">“I almost stationed people here today,” he said in a hollow voice. “Hell, I almost came myself. But James was so upset, and Ron was here, I just thought-“</p><p class="p1">“You couldn’t’ve known,” his mum said firmly</p><p class="p1">“I’m sorry, Ginny,” he said quietly, “This is my fault. If I-“</p><p class="p1">“Don’t,” she said in a quick, biting voice. “Don’t you dare. I need you, Harry, I can’t have you…you blaming yourself. I know you’d never do anything to danger our children so just don’t.”</p><p class="p1">She took his hands, waited for him to look at her. “Harry I need you. So please don’t go and be all noble about this. Don’t shut me out.”</p><p class="p1">He nodded, looking distracted still and Albus was forced to watch as his mother turned her face, pained. It was uncomfortable, looking at them, yet Albus had nowhere else to go. He was grateful when his dad reached over, putting his hand over hers without looking and whispered, “I have to find him, Ginny.”</p><p class="p1">“I know.”</p><p class="p1">It ended as all his parent’s arguments did. With a quiet resolve and Albus waited for the tender look that always made his stomach turn when there was was a sudden burst of noise from the other room. At once his parents were on their feet, wands raised and emerged Ron and Hermione, the latter with a letter clutched in her hand.</p><p class="p1">“This just came,” she announced, thrusting the unopened envelope towards Al’s dad who took it hurriedly.</p><p class="p1">“The owl dropped it and flew off before either of us could stop it,” Ron explained, glancing back at the other room even as he spoke.</p><p class="p1">From inside the envelope produced a short note and as Albus crowded closer, his father began to read.</p><p class="p1">“We have your son—“</p><p class="p1">His mother looked dangerously close to fainting as Hermione let out a little squeak.</p><p class="p1">“If you want to see him again release what happened on the night of April 17<span class="s1"><sup>th</sup></span>, 2—“</p><p class="p1">He broke off very suddenly and paled, obstructing the letter before anyone else could read it.</p><p class="p1">“Hey!” Mum shouted, trying to pull the parchment from his hand.</p><p class="p1">He looked, not at her, but at Hermione. Albus had been witness to their intense looks before. Often, Uncle George would tease them for it, but this was something else. At the same time they both looked to Ron whose face was a mask.</p><p class="p1">“Ginny,” his father said without looking at her. “I’m so sorry. I need to speak with Ron and Hermione alone.”</p><p class="p1">“You don’t know sorry,” his mother answered in a dangerously low voice. She reached out and pulled on her husband’s arm until he reluctantly looked at her. “This is my son, the three of you don’t get to keep secrets from me.”</p><p class="p1">“This isn’t about the three of us,” Aunt Hermione said quietly.</p><p class="p1">“Then why does Ron know?” his mother shouted. “He hasn’t worked for the ministry for a decade!”</p><p class="p1">“Tell me what’s going on!” she shouted at all of them.</p><p class="p1">Again the three of them shared impossibly intense looks before Hermione turned to Albus’ mother and said plainly. “I killed someone.”</p><p class="p1">Albus gasped audibly.</p><p class="p1">“Hermione,” his father and Ron said together. “You didn’t-“</p><p class="p1">“If it wasn’t for me she’d still be alive and you both know it,” Hermione said impatiently.</p><p class="p1">“You didn’t kill her,” Ron said, putting his arm around her. “We should never have brought you along.”</p><p class="p1">Albus’ mum had uncrossed her arms and was looking expectantly at his father.</p><p class="p1">“We had a case,” his father began, avoiding his wife’s eyes. “Back before we were living together. We were out for drinks and we saw our suspect running down the street. We took off after him.”</p><p class="p1">“We followed him to a house,” Ron continued. “Inside we heard a woman screaming.”</p><p class="p1">“They told me to stay behind,” Hermione went on, sounding as if she were about to cry. “I hid behind some bushes as they rushed in. I heard a fight break out. There was an explosion and the structure started to collapse. Someone ran out, I couldn’t see them, could barely hear because my ears were ringing. They looked like they were coming straight towards me and I stunned-“</p><p class="p1">Ron’s arm tightened around her shoulders. He looked miserable.</p><p class="p1">“Her name was Casey Rose Nguyen.” His father finished. His voice sounded official like he was reading from a list. “Nineteen, muggle. Came to London for University. She’d been held for five days, kept awake by wide eye potion. Her heart was too stressed to sustain any sort of magic. The healers did their best, but they were unable to revive her.”</p><p class="p1">Albus searched each of their faces, wondering how on earth his father, the Head of the Auror Office could have possibly been involved in such a thing. Not to mention his Aunt, who’d always been strict with bedtimes and not having sweets after dinner or his Uncle who never once told a lie to them.</p><p class="p1">For the first time since it had happened, Albus was rather glad he was invisible. This was a secret he never should have known.</p><p class="p1">“You covered it up?” his mother asked in a strange voice.</p><p class="p1">“No,” they all said together and Albus wondered if this too was a lie.</p><p class="p1">“Gawain arrived minutes later,” Uncle Ron said firmly. “And we took her straight to the healers. We didn’t lie, the information was simply never made public.”</p><p class="p1">“But that’s what he wants?” his mother asked. “Whoever did this, whoever kidnapped my son wants everyone to know what happened?”</p><p class="p1">“Yes,” his father said, finally passing the parchment over to his wife who didn’t bother reading it.</p><p class="p1">“Shit.” His mother said, blinking back tears.</p><p class="p1">“We’ll release it,” Hermione said quietly.</p><p class="p1">“No, you bloody well won’t,” his mother said stubbornly and when they looked at her in surprise. “Because it’ll look like you were covering something up.”</p><p class="p1">“Ginny-“</p><p class="p1">“No,” she said, tossing the parchment back at his father and staring him down. “If you release it then both of your careers will be destroyed. They chose to do this now because they know what’s set to happen next month and I’ll be damned if this the reason that it doesn’t.” </p><p class="p1">Albus looked up questioningly. Next month?</p><p class="p1">“We have fought too hard for this, all of us.” She said. “They don’t get to win.”</p><p class="p1">“Ginny-“ his father tried again.</p><p class="p1">“No, I won’t allow it.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s your son,” Hermione said in a quiet but decided voice. “It’s not a question.”</p><p class="p1">Albus watched as his mother looked up, lip trembling at her husband. And then, just as hard to look at, Albus’s father shook his head and pulled his wife towards him. His voice was dangerously close to crying, something he’d never seen from his father.</p><p class="p1">“Let’s go in the other room.”</p><p class="p1">Too miserable and exhausted to talk, Albus didn’t even consider following his parents out the door. Instead, he sunk onto the floor and looked up at his Aunt and Uncle to find them still staring at one another.</p><p class="p1">“Hermione?” Ron asked, “Are you sure?”</p><p class="p1">“It’s Albus,” she said in a tone that wasn’t to be argued with. And then, as if she’d said the words a thousand times. “It’s Harry.”</p><p class="p1">Ron gave up on looking at her and wrapped both his arms around her. “Alright, how will we do it?”</p><p class="p1">“Offer an unbreakable vow,” Hermione said like she was making a list. “Set up a press conference. I’ll do it as soon as they release Albus. If I don’t I’ll die which means I won’t take the office which I think will make them just as happy.”</p><p class="p1">“Hermione,” Ron sighed.</p><p class="p1">“It’s just an office, this is our family.”</p><p class="p1">“It’s not just an office,” Ron argued. “It’s the Minster for Magic, Hermione.”</p><p class="p1">Albus gasped, staring at them. Minister for Magic? His aunt?</p><p class="p1">“Minister for Magic’s just a title, Ron,” she said, sounding much like she was trying not to cry. “Albus is our nephew. He’s Harry’s son. It’s not a question.”</p><p class="p1">And with that, she buried her face into the front of his robes.</p><p class="p1">“We knew that something like this would happen, we’ve been preparing for it all along.” She went on, voice muffled. “We knew it was a long shot anyway. I just thought…it being so close.”</p><p class="p1">“I know,” Ron murmured, running his hands up and down her back. “I know.”</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. mercy with a price</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">It was a long time before his parents reentered, their arms around one another. Albus had endured a rather uncomfortable half an hour of watching his Aunt cry and his Uncle comforting her. It hadn’t even occurred to Albus to leave until they’d finished and sat down, talking in low voices and scribbling on parchment.</p><p class="p1">“Dickerson is going to run an analysis on it, see if we can get a trace.” His father announced, taking the chairs opposite Albus’s aunt and uncle. “What are you working on?”</p><p class="p1">“An agreement,” Ron said.</p><p class="p1">“A what?” Albus’ father asked, leaning over to look.</p><p class="p1">“Unbreakable vow,” Hermione said without looking up. “They release Albus and I’m given twenty—four hours to come out with the truth.”</p><p class="p1">His parents gawked at her. “Hermione you don’t-“ his mother started.</p><p class="p1">“If their aim is to make sure Hermione’s not in office then I’m sure that they’ll go for it, seeing as she’ll die if she doesn’t hold up her end.” Said Ron grimly.</p><p class="p1">“We’re not putting immunity on the table, so depending on how they’ve hidden Albus they could be prosecuted for some time,” Hermione went on. “Even sleeping droughts on underage wizards carry a sentence of fifteen years.”</p><p class="p1">“Hermione, you don’t-“</p><p class="p1">“It’s your son,” Hermione said fiercely, looking up suddenly. There was a blazing look in her eyes that Albus had never seen before. “Either of you would do this for us without thinking. We knew there would be opposition to me becoming Minster and frankly, I expected something much worse than this before. I won’t be able to live with myself if something happens to Albus, so don’t argue with me.”</p><p class="p1">“Hermione,” his father breathed and she looked at him as if she were about to fight him but he merely whispered, “Thank you.”</p><p class="p1">Hermione drew a shuddering breath and nodded. “Tricky part’ll be convincing them to meet us somewhere.”</p><p class="p1">It was too much to process. Albus stood and walked aimlessly through the still cracked door.</p><p class="p1">Aunt Hermione, the Minister for Magic. He’d always known that she was formidable and important in the ministry, but he’d never once imagined her in charge of everyone. Would things be different at Christmas? Would she have a guard following her around all the time? Would she-</p><p class="p1">And then, suddenly, he realized that none of that would happen. She would never be Minster for Magic and it was all going to be his fault.</p><p class="p1">Albus stopped dead in his tracks. If he hadn’t run off…</p><p class="p1">Would she hate him? If it were him having to give up such an important job, for anyone, he was pretty sure he’d hate them. There was no one— okay maybe Scorpius—that he’d be willing to give it up for.</p><p class="p1">The frustration was too much. Bile churned in his stomach. He drew his wand to—to what? Blast something? Send up sparks? He was helpless, right here but unable to communicate if only he could-</p><p class="p1">“POTTER!”</p><p class="p1">Albus nearly jumped out of his skin and turned, terrified towards the man storming up the empty street, his black cloak whipping behind him.</p><p class="p1">“POTTER! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”</p><p class="p1">The door to Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezy’s burst open and out poured Al’s father and Ron, wands drawn as the Auror stationed outside tried to intervene. “Sir-“</p><p class="p1">The man brushed past him, strode straight up to Al’s dad, and began screaming in his face.</p><p class="p1">“You had no right! You had no right to interview my son without me there!”</p><p class="p1">At last, he came into the light and Al’s heart froze. Scorpius’ dad.</p><p class="p1">“My son is missing!” Al’s dad roared. “I had every right-“</p><p class="p1">“Not without my consent.”</p><p class="p1">“Consent you’ve been absent to give.” His dad spat. “We’ve been trying to reach you for hours and where have you been?”</p><p class="p1">“Not here,” a voice hissed.</p><p class="p1">They looked around suddenly as if just realizing they were in the middle of the street. Lights had begun to turn on, curtains pulled aside. Al’s dad looked up and down Mr. Malfoy disdainfully and Al got a good look at him. His slicked-back hair, normally perfectly in place, stuck out in odd places, a stain ruining the front of his shirt.</p><p class="p1">“Inside,” demanded Al’s mum.</p><p class="p1">The men all straightened, throwing back their shoulders and strode back into the house. The Auror that had been attempting to stand guard hurried over to the door, holding it back so they could go back in, waiting for Albus before slipping in behind them.</p><p class="p1">“Gently, we’re good here,” his father addressed the man before he could shut the door behind him.</p><p class="p1">The Auror looked like he wanted to argue, sweeping the room with his eyes and then gave a stiff nod, slipping back through the door before it finally shut.</p><p class="p1">As soon as the door had closed, Mr. Malfoy swelled up again, pointing his finger straight at Al’s dad’s chest.</p><p class="p1">“You had no right-“</p><p class="p1">“Don’t you think we know the law?” Al’s dad interrupted before Mr. Malfoy could launch into his speech again. “We wrote it.”</p><p class="p1">“He came to us,” interjected Al’s mum. “He woke up in the middle of the woods and he came to Ron and begged him for help.”</p><p class="p1">Mr. Malfoy turned to Ron who nodded, arms crossed over his chest. “We’re the only reason you’re not rotting in prison-“</p><p class="p1">“A fact you’ll never let me forget.”</p><p class="p1">Al watched his father’s jaw tighten.</p><p class="p1">“Your lot preaches of mercy and forgiveness, but is it really mercy if there’s a price attached to it? If I’m forever in your debt for a crime I was too young to understand?”</p><p class="p1">“If you had succeeded then you would have called it bravery,” Ron argued. Mr. Malfoy glared over at him. “You’re quick to forget we were only seventeen too.”</p><p class="p1">Mr. Malfoy gave a contemptuous look and then walked over to an empty chair and sat himself down as if he’d been invited to sit. “Is there anything to drink?”</p><p class="p1">“I think you’ve had enough of that,” Al’s mum said cooly. Never the less she conjured a glass of water, set it before him</p><p class="p1">At last, Albus understood the sickening scent. He’d never smelt it so strongly outside of a pub. Except perhaps on Hagrid at his dad's last birthday.</p><p class="p1">“You know what Albus means to your son,” Ron said. “And I know how much you love him. So has any of your lot-?”</p><p class="p1">“My lot?”</p><p class="p1">Ron rolled his eyes, “We know what company you keep Malfoy.”</p><p class="p1">Mr. Malfoy had never looked so angry. “And what other company do you suppose is there? I don’t remember receiving a Christmas card from you Weasle!”</p><p class="p1">Ron made a quick movement and Aunt Hermione was on him at once, pulling back his arm and shouting, “Ron, no!”</p><p class="p1">There was something so comical about it. Grown people acting in the way Albus was always being told not to. He would have laughed but at that moment he found himself rather terrified by what they might do.</p><p class="p1">“I thought we’d put this all behind us,” Mr. Malfoy sneered. “The war ended a long time ago.” He turned to Al’s mum.“No matter my feelings towards your husband I wouldn’t dare put my son in danger. I’m not my father.” And then, as if he were unable to help himself, “You weren’t the only lot who’d childhood was affected by the war. I was sent on a suicide mission too.”</p><p class="p1">An uncomfortable silence took over the room.</p><p class="p1">“We need to talk to Scorpius, see if there’s anything more he knows.” Al’s mum begged in a whisper, “Don’t be the reason he loses his best friend.”</p><p class="p1">Mr. Malfoy nodded. He caught sight of the note that had been left in the middle of the table. “What do they want?”</p><p class="p1">“Nothing,” Ron said firmly, snatching the paper off the table.</p><p class="p1">His face impossibly morphed into a smirk. “And what are you covering up now?”</p><p class="p1">Mr. Malfoy’s face remained just as maddingly smug. His eyes continued to drift across the table and then widened ever so slightly.</p><p class="p1">“Minister for Magic?” he uttered. His tone betrayed his shock. His eyes went straight to Aunt Hermione who maintained her natural expression. “You?”</p><p class="p1">“Don’t act so surprised, Malfoy," Ron replied defensively, "No doubt you have ears in the Ministry still.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m not my father,” he repeated, anger tinging his words.</p><p class="p1">“We need to talk to Scorpius,” Al’s mum pressed again, stepping in-between Mr. Malfoy and Ron. “He’s at the school, they have him under a calming drought. Please.”</p><p class="p1">Again a curt nod and Mr. Malfoy got to his feet uncertainly.</p><p class="p1">“We’ll stay here,” Hermione said, grasping Ron’s arm when he made to follow Al’s mum and dad and Mr. Malfoy as they exited through the door. “Finish this.”</p><p class="p1">Al’s dad nodded. It was only when they were at the door that Mr. Malfoy turned back and asked importantly, “Why Albus?”</p><p class="p1">Everyone exchanged a look.</p><p class="p1">“Why not one of your children?” he continued when no one spoke. “If their goal is to stop your appointment, why would they take Albus?”</p><p class="p1">The thought hadn’t occurred to Albus before. Why had <em>he</em> been taken? Rose had been there too. Had they known he would go to the Shrieking Shack? Or had he simply been the unlucky one to wander off the path? Thinking back he was positive they’d been followed, his memory included a noise just out of sight, heavy breathing chasing them through the forest as he and Scorpius raced towards the abandoned building.</p><p class="p1">The thought of Scorpius made his throat tight. His dad had just said he was fine, back at the school, but what if that was one of those <em>placating</em> (how’s that for <em>uninspired language</em> Professor Longbottom?) lies adults told one another?</p><p class="p1">The door shut and they were gone. Aunt Hermione bustled back over to her chair and pulled her parchment towards her, reading over what was written. Ron hung at the window, watching the trio as they went up the road towards Hogwarts.</p><p class="p1">“I’ve been wondering too,” Ron said after a long moment. He looked over at Aunt Hermione. “Why Al? Rosie was here today too, why not her?”</p><p class="p1">“She’s stuck to the path didn’t she?” Aunt Hermione said, sounding tense. “It’s no secret how much Albus means to us. How much any of Harry and Ginny’s kids do.”</p><p class="p1">Letting the curtain drop back over the window he looked over at her. “You alright?”</p><p class="p1">“I just think you could have been a little nicer to him-“</p><p class="p1">“Nicer?” Ron asked disbelievingly, “To Malfoy? He was horrible to you in school!”</p><p class="p1">Aunt Hermione shook her head. “Yes, but he’s not anymore.”</p><p class="p1">Ron stared at her, his mouth parted.</p><p class="p1">“It was a long time ago Ron,” she said stubbornly.</p><p class="p1">“So what, you’ve just forgiven him?”</p><p class="p1">“No, of course not. He hasn’t asked for forgiveness.”</p><p class="p1">He looked just as baffled as Albus felt.</p><p class="p1">“But I have no reason to hate him.” Aunt Hermione said in a final sort of voice. “He isn’t worth my time.”</p><p class="p1">“The woman I married could hold a grudge like no one else,” Ron replied, crossing his arms over his chest.</p><p class="p1">“I’m too old to have a petty squabble with someone I went to school with,” Hermione explained, “I’ve got bigger things to worry about, like our nephew.”</p><p class="p1">At the last word, her voice wavered and Ron went to her at once, putting his hand on her shoulder which she shoved off. “Merlin, Ron, I can’t be worried about you hexing someone when our nephew is Gods know where. Scorpius is the only lead we might have. If you piss off Malfoy-“</p><p class="p1">“I wasn’t trying to!”</p><p class="p1">“What were you trying to do?”</p><p class="p1">They stared at one another, tears dotting Aunt Hermione’s eyes. When Ron’s hand reached out again to comfort her Albus braced to watch her shrug him off but incredibly she allowed the hand to grip her, leaned into his touch.</p><p class="p1">“He just gets under my skin,” Ron said very quietly.</p><p class="p1">“I know,” Hermione sighed, “I know. He doesn’t look well. Astoria’s death has hit him hard.”</p><p class="p1">“Rumor has it he left for France as soon as term started,” Ron told him. “Malfoy Sr. has taken over their investments again.”</p><p class="p1">They both frowned, the paper Hermione had been working so diligently on forgotten on the table between them.</p><p class="p1">“I couldn’t imagine, losing your spouse so young,” she said at last.</p><p class="p1">“No,” Ron echoed, “I couldn’t either.”</p><p class="p1">Their hands had found one another and Albus watched as they squeezed each other, staring at one another. Perhaps a minute passed and their eyes drifted apart. Ron’s hand slid to her shoulder and she pulled the parchment towards her.</p><p class="p1">“What can I do?” asked Ron.</p><p class="p1">“I need someone else to look this over,” she said quietly.</p><p class="p1">Ron groaned, but very softly. “Percy?”</p><p class="p1">“I’m afraid so.”</p><p class="p2"> </p>
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